Play is a child’s natural language. While adults might sit in a therapy room and talk through their problems, children process their experiences, emotions, and traumas through the only medium they truly understand: play. A teddy bear becomes a representation of self. A sand tray becomes a world of possibilities. A drawing becomes a window into the soul.
For those who feel called to work with children, play therapy is an immensely rewarding specialisation. However, there is a critical reality that every aspiring play therapist in South Africa must understand before enrolling in any course: “Play Therapist” is not a legally recognised registration category in South Africa.
This guide will explain the legitimate pathways to practising play therapy, the professional registrations you must obtain first, and how to add play-based interventions to your skillset ethically and legally.
How To Become A Play Therapist In South Africa
Step 1: Understanding the Critical Truth About Registration
In South Africa, you cannot register with a professional council as a “Play Therapist.” The Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA), the South African Council for Social Service Professions (SACSSP), and other regulatory bodies do not recognise “Play Therapist” as a standalone profession.
Instead, play therapy is a specialised modality or way of working within an existing, registered profession. To practise play therapy, you must first be registered in a profession that allows therapeutic or counselling intervention with children – such as Social Work, Psychology, or Registered Counselling.
Think of it this way: You do not become a “CBT Therapist” as a separate profession; you become a psychologist or counsellor who uses Cognitive Behavioural Therapy as a technique. Similarly, you become a social worker, psychologist, or registered counsellor who uses play-based interventions as part of your therapeutic toolkit.
Your professional registration determines your scope of practice; play therapy is a specialised way of working within that scope – not a separate professional title.
Step 2: The Four Routes to Practising Play Therapy
There are four recognised pathways to working therapeutically with children using play-based interventions in South Africa. Each begins with a base profession and then adds specialisation training.
Route A: Social Worker (SACSSP)
The first route is through social work. To take this path, you must complete a Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) degree – a four-year professional qualification. After graduating, you register with the South African Council for Social Service Professions (SACSSP) as a social worker.
As a registered social worker, you can integrate play-based approaches within your statutory and therapeutic work with children. Many social workers later pursue postgraduate specialisation in play-based intervention, such as the Master of Social Work in Play-Based Intervention offered by the University of Pretoria – currently the only dedicated postgraduate play-based intervention programme in the country.
This route is particularly suitable for those who want to work in child protection, foster care, or community-based child welfare settings where play therapy can be integrated into broader social work interventions.
Route B: Registered Counsellor (HPCSA)
The second route is through registered counselling. To qualify, you need to obtain a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science in Psychology, then complete an Honours or BPsych Equivalent programme that includes a 720-hour supervised practicum. After this, you write the Professional Board examination and register with the HPCSA as a Registered Counsellor.
Registered Counsellors work preventatively and developmentally. Within this scope, you can use play and creative interventions to support children’s emotional regulation, coping, and social skills – while referring on when the child’s needs fall outside your scope of practice.
This route is well-suited for those who want to work in school settings, community mental health, or private practice offering supportive counselling to children and families.
Route C: Psychologist (HPCSA)
The third route is through psychology. This requires completing a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science in Psychology, followed by an Honours degree, then a Master’s degree in Clinical, Counselling, or Educational Psychology. After your Master’s, you complete a supervised internship and pass the board examination to register with the HPCSA as a psychologist.
Psychologists have the broadest scope of practice. You may integrate play-based techniques within formal therapy processes, particularly in Educational and Counselling Psychology, where play forms part of both assessment and treatment with children. Psychologists can diagnose mental health conditions and provide long-term psychotherapy – including play therapy – as part of their practice.
This route is ideal for those who want to work with children with complex mental health presentations, conduct diagnostic assessments, and provide ongoing therapeutic intervention.
Route D: ASCHP Counsellor
The fourth route is through the Association for Supportive Counsellors and Holistic Practitioners (ASCHP). ASCHP is a SAQA-recognised professional body offering designations such as Supportive Counsellor, Wellness Counsellor, and Specialist Wellness Counsellor.
To take this route, you typically complete a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science in Psychology or Counselling, followed by an Honours degree, then register with ASCHP and apply for designation. Alternatively, you can complete a BA or BSc in Psychology, then a counselling course through a provider like Humanitas, register with ASCHP, and then pursue a Play-Based Intervention (PBI) specialisation.
Registration with ASCHP allows you to offer wellness counselling within a clearly defined scope of practice. You then add further specialisation – such as a Play-Based Intervention course – to work ethically and effectively with children.
This route is suitable for those who may not meet the competitive entry requirements for HPCSA programmes or who want a more accessible pathway to working with children in wellness settings.
Step 3: The Key Difference Between Professional Registration and Specialisation Training
Understanding the distinction between your base registration and your specialisation training is crucial.
Your base registration (Social Worker, Registered Counsellor, Psychologist, or ASCHP Counsellor) is your legal license to practise. This is what the regulatory bodies recognise. Without this registration, you cannot legally offer any form of counselling or therapy to children, regardless of how much play therapy training you have completed.
Your play therapy training is a specialisation that you add on top of your base registration. It does not replace your base registration, nor does it allow you to practice independently if your base registration does not already permit that.
When choosing a play therapy training programme, you must ensure that the programme is appropriate for your level of base registration. Some advanced programmes may only be open to psychologists or registered counsellors, while others are designed for wellness counsellors or social workers.
Step 4: Play Therapy Training and Specialisation Courses
Once you have your base registration (or while you are working towards it), you can pursue specialised training in play therapy and play-based interventions.
Understanding Play Therapy Training Programmes
Play therapy training in South Africa typically takes one to two years to complete. Programmes generally combine theoretical learning, practical skills development, and supervised clinical experience. A quality programme should cover the theoretical foundations of play therapy including Attachment Theory, Psychodynamic Theory, Child-Centred approaches based on Axline’s principles, Gestalt theory, Cognitive Behavioural Play Therapy (CBPT), and developmental theories from Erikson and Piaget.
Practical training should teach you how to use play mediums and techniques, conduct observational screening of children, understand child trauma and dissociation, and work with parents and families. You should also learn about mandatory reporting and legislation regarding child protection in South Africa.
The 12-Month Play-Based Intervention (PBI) Course
One structured option for specialisation is the 12-month, part-time Play-Based Intervention (PBI) course offered by Humanitas Training & Counselling. This programme includes theoretical distance learning with pre-recorded modules, regular online contact sessions, and two weeks of in-person training in Pretoria.
The theoretical component covers child development, attachment from infancy to adolescence, attachment styles and disorders, child trauma and dissociation, ethics and report writing, mandatory reporting and legislation, play intervention with children, play mediums and techniques, and working with children experiencing various life events including sexual abuse, divorce, and grief.
The six-month practical component involves hands-on learning with supervision, guidance, and mentorship throughout.
The Two-Year Play-Based Certificate Course
Another option is the two-year play-based certificate course offered through Rinda Blom’s training programme, which runs online via Zoom. This programme includes five course modules, all CPD accredited workshops, and supervised practical modules with child clients and parents.
This training covers play-based and advanced play-based (play therapy) approaches, sand tray work, working with parents, and creative interventions with traumatised children and adolescents. The next intake is scheduled for July 2026, with applications closing on 30 May 2026.
The programme offers a payment plan of 24 monthly instalments of R2,500 per month, making it more accessible for those who need to spread the cost.
Short Courses and CPD Workshops
For those who want to begin exploring play therapy or need to maintain their CPD points, shorter workshops are available. SACAP, for example, offers an Understanding Play Therapy workshop that provides 3 HPCSA CPD points upon successful completion. This workshop covers the historical background, developmental psychology, theoretical underpinnings, and practical application of basic play therapy techniques.
Step 5: Sandplay Therapy – A Specialised Modality
Sandplay therapy is a specific form of play-based intervention developed by Dora Kalff, based on Jungian psychology. It involves clients creating scenes in a sand tray using miniature figures, and the therapist witnessing and facilitating the process.
In South Africa, Sandplay South Africa (AST South Africa) offers registration as a Sandplay Therapist for qualified mental health professionals. To register as a Sandplay Therapist, you must meet specific requirements including post-graduate education in mental health treatment (psychotherapy, counselling, art therapy, or social work at Master’s or Doctoral level), attendance at a minimum of 120 hours of core curriculum training, completion of personal Sandplay experience with a registered therapist, and 50 hours of consultation with a registered consultant.
This advanced specialisation is typically for psychologists and other Master’s-level mental health professionals who want to add Sandplay to their therapeutic repertoire.
Step 6: Real-World Practice – What Play Therapy Looks Like
When you are qualified and registered, what does practising play therapy actually look like?
Registered Counsellors in private practice, such as Thozama Khanya Grewe in Cape Town, integrate play therapy into an eclectic approach that also includes cognitive behavioural therapy and solution-focused brief therapy. They work with children experiencing trauma, loss, anxiety, and behavioural difficulties.
Similarly, Wendy Kempster, a Registered Counsellor in Umhlanga, offers play therapy alongside counselling for trauma resulting from divorce, abuse, illness, crime, and bereavement. She holds an intermediate certificate in Play Therapy alongside her psychology degrees.
The work involves creating a safe therapeutic space where children can express themselves freely. Using toys, art materials, sand trays, puppets, and other mediums, children naturally explore their inner worlds. The trained therapist observes, reflects, and gently guides the process, helping the child work through difficult emotions and experiences.
Step 7: Career Prospects and Work Settings
Once you are registered in your base profession and have completed play therapy specialisation training, you can work in various settings.
Private practice is a common option, where you see child clients for play therapy sessions. Many play therapists also offer parent guidance sessions as part of their work. School settings are another major employer, where play therapists work with children experiencing emotional or behavioural difficulties within the school environment.
NGOs and child protection organisations regularly employ play therapists to work with vulnerable children, including those who have experienced abuse, neglect, or trauma. Hospitals and paediatric clinics sometimes employ play therapists to help children cope with medical procedures, chronic illness, or hospitalisation.
Step-by-Step Summary Checklist
Here is your roadmap to becoming a qualified play therapy practitioner in South Africa:
Phase 1: Choose Your Base Profession
Select one of the four routes: Social Work, Registered Counsellor, Psychologist, or ASCHP Counsellor.
Complete the required academic qualification for that route (degree + postgraduate where required).
Register with the relevant professional council (HPCSA, SACSSP, or ASCHP).
Phase 2: Gain Foundational Experience
Complete any required internships or practicum hours for your base profession.
Begin working with children in your chosen setting (under supervision if required).
Phase 3: Add Play Therapy Specialisation
Research and select an accredited play therapy or play-based intervention training programme appropriate to your base registration level.
Complete the theoretical training (typically 6-12 months).
Complete the supervised practical component with child clients.
Phase 4: Establish Your Practice
Begin offering play therapy services within your registered scope of practice.
Maintain your base profession registration through annual renewal and CPD.
Continue developing your play therapy skills through advanced workshops and supervision.
Key Resources for Your Journey
South African Council for Social Service Professions (SACSSP): www.sacssp.co.za (For social work registration)
Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA): www.hpcsa.co.za (For psychologist and registered counsellor registration)
Association for Supportive Counsellors and Holistic Practitioners (ASCHP): www.aschp.net (For wellness counsellor registration)
University of Pretoria Department of Social Work: www.up.ac.za (For MSW Play-Based Intervention)
Sandplay South Africa: www.sandplay.co.za (For Sandplay therapy registration)
Humanitas Training & Counselling: www.humanitas.co.za (For Play-Based Intervention courses)
SACAP: www.sacap.edu.za (For CPD workshops in play therapy)
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Conclusion
Becoming a play therapist in South Africa is not about registering for a single course and receiving a title. It is a two-step journey: first, you must become a registered professional in a recognised mental health or social service field. Second, you add specialised play therapy training to your skillset.
This layered approach exists to protect children. It ensures that anyone practising play therapy has a solid foundation in ethical practice, child development, and therapeutic principles before they ever pick up a toy in a therapy room.
The path requires patience. The academic requirements for psychology or social work are rigorous. The training programmes for play therapy are demanding. But for those who feel called to work with children, who understand that healing happens through play, and who are willing to do the work properly, play therapy is one of the most meaningful careers imaginable.
You will not be a “Registered Play Therapist” on paper. But you will be something far more important: a registered professional who knows how to reach children where they live – in the world of play, imagination, and possibility.